Engineering news
’Significant milestone’ for women in Stem roles
Professional Engineering
There are more than 1m women working in core roles across science, technology, engineering and maths for the first time ever, according to the Wise Campaign. The number of women in engineering has almost doubled in the last decade – from just over 25,000 to more than 50,000 – the campaign group said, as it marked #1ofTheMillion Day on Wednesday (10 June). Thanks to an increase of more than 350,000 women in core Stem roles in the last 10 years, women now reportedly make up 24% of the core workforce.
Flexible working challenge
Process Engineering
Construction, manufacturing and engineering firms will face the biggest challenge when adapting the workplace after the Covid-19 pandemic, a report by Mitrefinch found. Many more roles are expected to become remote in the coming months, however.
The ‘brain on a chip’
Professional Engineering
A ‘brain on a chip’ that is smaller than a piece of confetti could lead to portable artificial intelligence (AI) systems for complex computational tasks – without reliance on the internet. Engineers at MIT in Massachusetts developed the ‘brain’, made from tens of thousands of artificial brain synapses known as memristors – silicon-based components that mimic the information-transmitting synapses in the human brain.
Printed graphene-based sensors
The Engineer
Researchers from US universities including Northwestern and Iowa State have used aerosol-jet printing to build graphene-based electrochemical sensors. The sensors detect histamines and toxins in food, and are reportedly quicker than standard tests.
Electric plane progress
Aerospace Manufacturing
Nasa is reportedly making ‘significant progress’ with its all-electric X-57 Maxwell plane, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Functional ground testing, and assembly and qualification tests of two critical components, are underway in California.
Space telescope delay
Space.com
In contrast to progress on the X-57, Nasa has further delayed the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. The successor to the Hubble telescope had been due to launch in March 2021, but it will now head to space at a later date because of delays related to the pandemic.
Morphing materials for implants and robots
The Engineer
Engineers at Rice University in Texas have developed a printing method to create objects that ‘morph’ in response to changes in temperature, electric current or stress. The materials could be used for reconfigurable biomedical implants or soft robots.
Driverless cars ‘might only reduce accidents by a third’
E&T
Autonomous cars might only reduce accidents by a third, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The study found that driving style would have to be optimised for safety – rather than speed or convenience – to prevent more accidents. Previous estimates suggested autonomous vehicles could help avoid 90% of accidents.
3D-printed ‘cartilage’ for spinal implants
Professional Engineering
A new liquid crystal material 3D-printed into complex structures can mimic cartilage and other biological tissue, leading the way towards printed spinal discs and other biomedical implants. Mechanical engineer Professor Chris Yakacki at the University of Colorado Denver led the team that developed and applied the new material.
Switching from aluminium to zinc alloys could make cars more sustainable
Professional Engineering
Switching from aluminium to zinc alloys in the production of automotive parts could greatly enhance their longevity and sustainability, new research has found. The work, conducted by Cranfield University's Sustainable Manufacturing Systems Centre, compared three different alloys – aluminium-A380, magnesium-AZ91D and zinc-ZA8. The zinc alloy reportedly proved to be a more sustainable and higher performing option when considering measures such as the environmental impact caused by the extraction of the metal and the quality of the parts it produces.
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.